Today's Devotion

Weakness=Power!???






"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.~2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV"





I think I may have used this verse before, but its a good one and one that ministered to me this morning when I got in my email box so you get it again as well:) The verse before this one is Paul pleading to take away his pain, and this verse is Jesus' response. How often do we reflect on the wonderful gift of grace that God has granted us? Um well probably not enough. No, if you all are anything like me we beat ourselves up when we make mistakes, we feel guilty when we fail, we feel ashamed, and embarrased, we think we are a "bad christian", wouldn't it serve us better to remember this verse? HIS grace is sufficient and allow Christ's power rest on us! I think so.



Last night was somewhat of a challenging evening internally for me. The boys were actually being quite well behaved I'm not sure if I was tired from the alarm going off at 3:30 AM so Nathen could drive his 3.5 hour trip to work~um yes I did go back to sleep...so really shouldn't have been so cranky at 8 PM. BUT I was irritable, snappy, and just not portraying the mom that I would like my children to remember. I had yelled at Aiden for a reason that I cannot even recall, snapped at Evan for wanting to drink out of my water bottle (when I had left his upstairs..what else was he suppose to drink since I was not going back up stairs to get his) by the time bathtime arrived I was to my limit and actually walked away to let the boys just play and let me cool down (our bedroom is across the hall from the bathroom so I could still see and hear the boys) and check my email when I got an encouraging and thoughtful email containing scripture from a dear christian friend. At that moment I felt God's power rest on me, HIS words given to my friend and I who needed them at that moment turned our evening around~its still amazing to me that I chose to walk out of the bathroom during bathtime because I hardly ever do that but now I know I needed that email at that exact time. (Tami, thank you so much for sending that message to me last night)

Yes I felt weak, helpless, and out of control last night but after reading that email I was encouraged and decided to turn what was left of our evening around. I went in and apologized to the boys for yelling and snapping at them and told them I loved them very much in which Aiden responded "I love you too, and mommy I yelled at you too". As if justifying for me my behaviors~but yea he's 3.5 and I'm 33 so should have more patience and control than him. Anyways, we ended our evening reading praying together, reading Bible stories and singing together. And honestly it was so peaceful and perfect and it was because I allowed Jesus' words to work in me and accept my weaknesses, knowing HE is more powerful than any mood I'm in.



I know I'm not perfect so am wondering why I get so disappointed when I make mistakes, maybe its because I'm not accepting God's grace and turning everything over to HIM? Through our weeknesses we need HIM more, and that is a good thing. So today I'm embracing the fact that I'm not perfect and accepting HIS Power and grace to work through me.



In God's Love,

Sarah